With the rescue of stranded tourists and locals out of the massive floods in Jammu & Kashmir almost over, the Supreme Court directed both Centre and State Government to focus on rehabilitation of the affected victims with priority on reaching food, drinking water, medicine and fuel till the last man.
Taking up a batch of PIls asking the Court to monitor the relief and rehabilitation of the victims in the absence of any effective efforts by the state administration, the bench headed by Chief Justice RM lodha discovered that the efforts of the Centre and Army did not seem to be "serious" in other districts as compared to Srinagar.
"We respect the role Centre and Army has played so far but there is no focus on other affected districts. They are as bad as Srinagar and condition in some other districts is worse. I don't think effort there is a serious effort like what has been done to victims in Srinagar," said the bench, also comprising of Justices Kurian Joseph and Rohington Nariman.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi who placed a note on the progress made by the joint efforts of Army, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force and Central Government said that it was for the State Government to direct them to go to other districts. These districts included Kulgam, Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Ganderbal, Baramulla and Budgam.
The bench told Rohatgi, "The focus should be on the phase-wise rehabilitation…We are told that you (Army) rescue people and send them to some open space. What will they do there without adequate food, water, medicines, etc." It said that the "first and foremost challenge" is the survival of affected people.
While Rohatgi claimed that fuel, food, water, blankets and medicines was in sufficient supply with aid received from several states as well, the petitioners — Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves and advocate Vasundhara Pathak Masoodi, disputed the claim.
The bench decided to seek fresh response from the State Government and Centre on the issue by September 18. AG informed the Court that as on date, several Government offices had resumed work, Government Secretariat was relocated to Hari Niwas and efforts were underway to make High Court function from a guesthouse or temporarily from the judges' residences. He asked CJI to speak to HC Chief Justice to begin skeletal operations from HC Guesthouse situated near Dal lake which was unaffected by floods.
Meanwhile, the Court directed the state to take urgent steps to put the banking system in place or consider granting ex-gratia payment to affected families who required money to purchase goods. It further asked State authorities to set up separate relief and health camps as several pregnant women were believed to be still stuck in the deluge.
With petitioners even raising fears of epidemic due to carcasses of cattle and animals flowing freely through the villages the Court held, "what is expected of the Centre and state government is that all necessary steps should be taken to protect the surviving people and supplies should reach to the last of the victims".